Here’s our weekly round-up of upcoming events from July 23 – 29 on Mercer Island:
Mercer Island Art Guide
Stop by and check out the art currently on display at the art galleries around Mercer Island!
Clarke & Clarke Art + Artifacts
7605 SE 27th St, Suite 105
“Crazy in Love II” – art by Sharon Carr
Suzanne Zahr / SZ Gallery
2441 76th Ave SE, Suite 160
“Tropic Iconic” – paintings by Kosta Kulundzic
Mercer Island Community & Event Center Gallery
8236 SE 24th Street
Paintings by Harmony of Color
Student Artwork from the 45th Annual MIVAL Junior Art Show
Barrels
7605 SE 27th Street, Suite 107
Paintings by Ruby Lindner
Stories at Dragon Park
Tuesday, July 23, Noon
Deane’s Children’s Park, 5701 Island Crest Way
Family program, all ages welcome. Bring your lunch to the park and enjoy stories while you munch!
Play Chess at the Library
Tuesday, July 23, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Mercer Island Library, 3014 78th Ave SE
Come to the library for an afternoon of chess and challenge yourself and others, hosted by Chouchanik Airapetian. Chess boards and other games will be provided. All ages and families welcome.
Community Coffee Hour
Wednesday, July 24 & Friday, July 26, 9 – 10 am
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street
Community Coffee Hour is offered every Wednesday and Friday. Stop by for a hot cup of jo’ and socialize with fellow community members in a fun and engaging atmostphere.
For more information, call MICEC at 206-275-7609 or email at [email protected]
Kaleidoscope Play & Learn
Wednesday, July 24, 10:30 am – Noon
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Bring your kids ages 5 and younger to enjoy stories, songs, rhymes, art, and play!
Storybook Corner
Wednesday, July 24, 10:30 – 11 am
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
Bring your little ones in to enjoy popular picture books read by our staff or special guests.
Mess Around with Circuits & Cubelets!
Wednesday, July 24, 2 – 4 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Students in grades 4 and up stop by to create circuits and explore electronics. Play around or work on a project. Squishy Circuits, Little Bits, Snap Circuits, and Cubelets kits provided. Bring a friend and work in pairs! Drop-in, no registration required.
Wine Wednesday
Wednesday, July 24, 5 – 9 pm
Caruccio’s, 2441 76th Ave SE, Suite 100
Stop by for the community-inspired Wine Wednesday. When you purchase your wine by the glass or bottle from our rotating selection of wines, you may enjoy an aperitivo-style buffet on our 21 foot curved countertop.
Margaret O’Mara, Author of The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America
Wednesday, July 24, 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
Join us in welcoming American historian Margaret O’Mara for a reading of her new release The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America. This book shows the growth and complication O’Mara witnessed when she worked in the White House of Bill Clinton and Al Gore in the earliest days of the commercial Internet. She saw first-hand how deeply intertwined Silicon Valley was with the federal government and how shallow the common understanding of the secrets of the Valley’s success actually was. Now, after almost five years of pioneering research, O’Mara has produced the definitive history of Silicon Valley for our time, the story of mavericks and visionaries, but also of powerful institutions creating the framework for innovation, from the Pentagon to Stanford University.
Infant Story Time
Thursday, July 25, 10:30 – 11:30 am
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
An introduction to stories, rhymes and songs for ages, newborn to 12 months, with an adult. Designed for baby to be in caregiver’s lap while caregiver helps baby participate. Social time follows.
5th Annual Mercer Island All Comers Track Meet
Thursday, July 25, 4 – 7:30 pm
Mercer Island High School Stadium, 9100 SE 42nd Street
It’s an evening of fun for the whole family. Watch the little one’s run the 50, 100 or mini hurdles, run side by side in the 200, 400, 800, 1600 and/or run a 4×100 or 4×400 relay with friends and family. New this year, high jump and pole vault clinics from 4-5:30. A taco truck will be there so no need to worry about dinner. Admission is $5/person.
If you have questions, please contact Nicole at [email protected]
Artist’s Reception: Ruby Lindner
Thursday, July 25, 6 – 8 pm
Barrels, 7605 SE 27th Street, Suite 107
Ruby Lindner is the artist this month and her work is as colorful as a summer day in Seattle! Come find out about her art and how she is inspired.
Mostly Music in the Park: Jessica Lynne
Thursday, July 25, Pre-concert activities at 6 pm | Live music at 7 pm
Mercerdale Park, 77th Avenue SE and SE 32nd Street
With rock and gospel influences, Jessica Lynne brings a fresh, contemporary take on country music, while bringing female power to the forefront. Her backing band features thick three-part female harmonies, including Danish X-Factor star Cirke Cherockee. Opening act will be Steven Medsker from Mercer Island. Round up your friends and family, pack a picnic, and meet us in Mercerdale park for live music, family friendly activities, and fun times! Concert begins at 7 pm but come early for more fun!
Shakespeare in the Park
Twelfth Night: August 8 & 11
Romeo and Juliet: July 25-27; August 1-4 & 9-11
Luther Burbank Park, 2040 84th Ave SE
Join the Mercer Island Arts Council, Mercer Island Parks & Recreation, and Seattle Shakespeare Company for productions of two of Shakespeare’s most recognizable plays – Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night. Find a spot in the open-seating amphitheater at Luther Burbank Park, and watch the Bard’s stories come to life in their originally intended setting. All performances are free and begin at 7 pm, with a special “doubleheader” performance of both plays beginning at 2 pm on Sunday, August 11.
Open Book Club: There There by Tommy Orange
Thursday, July 25, 7:30 – 9 pm
Island Books, 3014 78th Ave SE
Tommy Orange’s shattering novel follows twelve characters from Native communities: all traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow, all connected to each other in ways they may not yet realize. Together, this chorus of voices tells of the plight of the urban Native American—grappling with a complex and painful history, with an inheritance of beauty and spirituality, with communion and sacrifice and heroism.
Live Music
Friday, July 26, 6 – 8 pm
Barrels, 7605 SE 27th Street, Suite 107
Stop by for a glass of wine and listen to live music featuring Chris Stevens and Annie Eastwood!
Shabbat & Shwim
Saturday, July 27, 9 am
Stroum Jewish Community Center, 3801 East Mercer Way
Celebrate Shabbat at the J! Share a special baby-friendly Shabbat service, then join us afterward for a light brunch and splash around with your little ones in our indoor pool.
Messy Play Day
Saturday, July 27, 10 am – Noon
Bright Horizons, 9555 SE 36th Street
Bright Horizons® invites you and your family to roll up your sleeves and join us for a fun-filled morning of sensory discovery. Plan on getting messy – we suggest you consider bringing a change of clothes for your commute home! We’ll be splashing, squishing, and splattering our way through hands-on activities, sure to engage and delight even the youngest of explorers! Event is geared towards infants – pre-kindergarteners.
Please RSVP online
Mercer Island Gallery Artists’ Reception: Harmony of Color
Saturday, July 27, 1 – 3 pm
Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street
Appreciate the peace and beauty of the world through the eyes of Harmony of Color in this exhibit. Formed in 2009, Harmony of Color started with a group of artists who share their work in hopes of inspiring others to pause their busy schedules and reveal the hidden creativity in all of us. Celebrate the artists and the organization’s tenth anniversary with a free reception featuring live music and refreshments provided by the Mercer Island Arts Council.
Farmers Market
Sunday, July 28, 10 am – 3 pm
Mercerdale Park, North End, 77th Ave SE & SE 32nd Street
The Mercer Island Farmers Market is open every Sunday from June – October. Enjoy the sunshine and check out the freshest fruits and vegetables of the season, as well as locally made food and drinks, artisan crafts, and fun activities for the whole family. Visit the website for weekly updates and special events.
Talk Time
Monday, July 29, 1 – 2:30 pm
Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE
Improve your speaking and listening skills in this conversation group for English language learners. Walk-ins welcome.
